Sedniv is an urban-type settlement on the Snov River, 25 km from Chernihiv, and one of the most beautiful places in the Chernihiv Polissia. Once, the chronicle fortress of Snovsk stood here: in 1068, Prince Sviatoslav with about three thousand warriors defeated the Polovtsians near it. From the second half of the 17th century, Sedniv became the residence of the Chernihiv colonels Lyzohub, and their estate still defines the appearance of the settlement. There is no marked trail — this is a short walk along the streets and the estate park over the cliffs of the Snov: about 1.2 km, an hour to an hour and a half at a leisurely pace.
St. George's Church
The start is near the wooden Church of St. George (Yuriy), built no later than 1747, and according to legend, even in the 17th century. It was here that the film "Viy" was shot.
Resurrection Church and Lyzohub Mansion
Next is the brick Resurrection Church of 1690, the family burial vault of the Lyzohub family. Nearby stands the Lyzohub mansion, built in the same year of 1690 and rebuilt in the 19th century. Yakiv Lyzohub, a colonel who participated in the storming of Azov in 1696, was the first of the family to acquire Sedniv.
Estate Park and Shevchenko
The route leads into the park to the estate house. Taras Shevchenko came here in the spring of 1846, when he was sketching monuments of the Chernihiv region on assignment from the Archaeological Commission, and for the second time in March 1847. He was invited by brothers Andriy and Illia Lyzohub, and he painted their portraits. On March 7, 1847, in Sedniv, Shevchenko wrote the poem "The Witch". In the park grow Shevchenko's linden, which, according to locals, is over 600 years old, and Bohdan's oak, which is over 400 years old.
Hlibov Arbor
The finish is an arbor from the first half of the 19th century on a cliff above the Snov. According to legend, it was here that Leonid Hlibov wrote the poem "Zhurba" (Sorrow) in 1859. From here, a view of the river valley opens up, especially beautiful in the morning fog.
Tips
The slopes above the Snov are steep — do not approach the edge of the cliff and stick to the paths. Since 2015, the estate has been a branch of the Vasyl Tarnovsky Chernihiv Regional Historical Museum; before the war, 30,000–40,000 visitors came here annually, and in autumn, the "Sedniv Autumn" festival took place in the park.
How to Get There
The nearest railway station is in Chernihiv. From there to Sedniv it is 25 km; check the schedule of trips on the Chernihiv-1 bus station page.
Note: Since February 27, 2022, Sedniv was under occupation, and on the night of November 19, 2025, the blast wave from an attack damaged 11 windows and the outbuilding of the estate. Before your trip, please check which landmarks are currently open.